Matsubara Doso-jinja Shrine

This shrine was founded probably in the Heian period, and is recorded in Volume 20 of the Konjaku Monogatarishu (Anthology of Tales from the Past) as “Gojo no sahe-no-kami” or “Fifth Street ancestor-deity of the road,” and in Volume 1 of the Uji Shui Monogatari (Gleanings from the Tales of Uji Dainagon) as “Gojo no sai,” both with a similar meaning. Matsubara-dori Street, which runs immediately to the north of the shrine, was Gojo Oji (Fifth Avenue) in the Heian period, and was always busy with pilgrims heading to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. As a result, the deity here become the focus of faith as a guardian of roads and travelers.
Today, Matsubara Doso-jinja enshrines the deities Sarutahiko and Amenouzume, who are worshipped for their protecting of roads (guardian deities of travelers), preventing ill fortune, and bringing marital bliss (household safety), romance (many descendants), and business prosperity, among other blessings. A Great Spring Festival in May and Hitaki-sai Fire Festival in November are held here.
Kyoto City